Scalpel



M. SCHMIDT SCALPEL Nov. 1, 1927. 1,647,546

Filed Nov. 10, 1924 '2 Max fichmidt.

. Patented Nov. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,647,546 PATENT OFFICE.

MAX SCHMIDT, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

' SCALPEL.

Application filed November 10, 1924. Serial No. 748,810.

My invention relates to scalpels for anatomical surgical operations or dissections.

The objects of my invention are to provide an extremely simple, efficient and practical scalpel handle, and interchangeable blades therefor of various sizes and styles for par ticular uses, which are adapted to be easily, conveniently and securely, detachably and interchangeably secured to the handle without any separate or extraneous fastening means; to provide a handle in which one of the blades may be concealed therein to prevent unintentional cutting or injury there.- from and to protect the cutting edge against damage; to provide means whereby the blade is secured in position withoutweakening it to render it liable to breakage and particularly while performing an operation; to provide means whereby the shank and a portion of the back of the blade are reenforced to insure absolute safetyin its use; to provicle simple and secure blade holding means; to provide convenient and easily operated blade attaching and detaching holding means without danger of cutting the fingers; to provide means whereby great economy and convenience is eifected in requiring only a single handle adapted to be interchangeably used with a multiplicity and variety of blades and whereby the handle and blades may be conveniently carried or stored in a very compact space; and to provide a peculiar form of handle adapted to be dependably, se-

curely and firmly grasped by the surgeon or operator when performing an operation or when dissecting.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction, combination, location and arrangement of parts as herein set forth and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the handle showing the blade represented by dotted lines in closed or concealed position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal edge view with the blade in concealed or closed position;

Fig. 3 is an inside elevation of one side of the handle;

Fig. 4 is an inside elevation of the other side of the handle showing the position of the blade relative thereto;

Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the blades;

Fig. 5 is a side view of a different form of blade;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal edge elevation of the part of the handle shown in Fig. 4 with the blade omitted;

Fig. 7 is a view of the handle and blade in one position while being assembled or disassembled;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the scalpel with still another form of blade in position for use; and

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal edge view showing the normally overlaping position of the end portions of the handle plates when assembling or disassembling the parts and when not in parallel assembled relation.

In the preferred construction of my invention I provide handle or holder 1 consisting of longitudinal plates 2 and 3 formed so that when they are positioned upon each other in their proper relation, as shown in Fig. 1, the complete outer edge of one plate registers with the complete outer edge of the other plate. Plate 2 has spaced apart curved grooves 4 and 5 disposed transversely thereof in its inner side 6 and positioned intermediate the front and rear ends 7 and 8, respectively, and adjacent the front end for the purpose of providing clearance for the ends of studs 14L and 15 on plate 3 when the plates and blade are being assembled and to permit them to ride up out of said grooves into firm engagement with the inner surface of the opposite plate. Plate 2 also has key hole 9 therethrough and disposed intermediate curved grooves i and 5 for the purpose of receiving head 10 of key pivot 11 secured to inner side 12 of plate 3 and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent end 13 for the purpose of retaining plates 2 and 3 in registering engagement with each other. Spaced apart studs 14 and 15 disposed on opposite sides of pivot 11 and in alinement therewith are fixed to or integral with inner side 12 of plate 8 and extending outwardly therefrom to engage spaced apart perforations l6 and 17 in scalpel blade 18, pivot 11 being insertedthrough hole 19 for the purpose of locking the blade between plates 2 and 3. Plates 2 and 3 each have centrally disposed outwardly curved or offset portions 20 and 21 whereby the rear portions 22 and 23 of the plates are spaced apart a considerably greater distance than the front portions thereof when the plates are in assembled position, as shown in Fig. 2. The rear portions 22 and 23, respectively, of plates 2 and 3 converge inwardly from the curved portions toward the extreme ends 8 and 24, respectively, whereby said plates are adapted to be sprung into ing spring tension is produced in the plates by the metal or other material from which they are made, and which tension maintains ends; Sand 24 in engagement with each other thereby retaining stud 25 in perforation 26 whereby the blades are securely held in fixed relationv to each othen The longitudinal back b ide 1.8 is securely rel in ill-zed alinedrelstion with o1 han- 1 by studs 14 and 15. of plate 3.; respecely en perforations. 16 end 17 in blade ch is inain ined rigidly a. inst lateral. or bending movement by tended ends and 30, respectively, of plates ill) and 3' engaging the back portion ot the blade substantially as shown.

v For the purpose or? providing means to enable an operator or firmly grasp handle 1 outer sides 32 and of plates 2 and. 3 are provided with knurled, Inilled or transversely grooved surfaces 3-1; and 35, respectively, which tend to prevent accidental or unintentional slipping of the scalpel in the lingers of surgeons when pen forming delicate operations. Said trans 'versely grooved surfaces are also provided to permit the plates to yield apart under manual pressure to permit the ends of the plates to be sprung past each other from the position shown in Fig. 9 to pass over stud 25 in assembling or disc.sseinblingthe parts. To inountthe blade in the handle ready for use place the blade 18 with its back 21 in alinenient with edge 28. of plate 3 permitting stud l-l, pivot 11 and stud on plate 3 to enter perforation 16,hole l9 and perforation 17, respectively, in the blade. Head 10 on the outer end of key pivot 11 is then inserted through enlarged portion 36 ot Key hole 9 so that the inner side of plate 2 en-' gages blade 18. Pivot 11 is then slid into smaller portion 37 of key hole 9 which operation isniostconveniently accomplished when the plates are substantially at right angles to each other, as shown in 7. End8 of plate 2 is then rotated on said pivot into engagement with end 24 of plate 3 and the ends (which normally converge past each other transversely at their ends) are then manually sprung or forced apart over dep en d abl e sturgeon to stud 25 whereby it is permitted to enter perforation 26 whereupon the assembled handle and blade appear as shown in 8 in which position the handle and blade are 7 maintained in firm holding relation to each other ready for use by the surgeonor other operator. 7

When ii: is desired to carry the scalpel in the pock et blade 18 may be'placed in closed position relative to handle 1 by placing end is that various sizes and rnest/see 31 thereof between plates 2 and 3 "For in-- sorting studs it and. ot plate 35 into pen iterations l? and 16, r ,5; ice-lively, alter which plate may he mounted l pURlllm. thereon in the manner above desu'ribcll.

llhen it desired to remove the hlodc either when in op ire posit on or who)! in concealed pot: ion between the platesand 3, insert the thumb nails in the spore be tween the plates pressing; outwardly until stud 25 is released from per'llnalion All tins-o inove plate, 2 upon pivot 11 until it is in bstnntinlly the pos tion :1" shown in l io. the pivot o .ien push the plate town the head 10 thereof is in \aitl: the enlarged portion Illi o t hey hole shims lll said figure whermipon plate 5; no; be reinoved by drawing,- it away t one the blade. The blade can then be readily l1 tied 'l'com en 'agenieut with plate l lUS it is seen that I provide :1 perfectly itary device the parts o l which a e adapt be readily separated and thoroughly i sod and moaned. Very thin blade may be used by reason oi: the inc-l that they are recntorced at the hack of their at llltllllljl end. portion and they are not cut away loin gitudinally adjacent A in cutting edge whereby tie blade is weal l so as to render it micertain as to safety from l.)i( "llll.1 while performing; an operation. llheoe to ill 7 thin hlenles are ada n'ed to he qnielzlv removed from the handle and new bl--dcs out! danger of on of new blades for sharpen i if ly connected to the handle and al. (N. must be discarded when the blade become: worn, whereas with my invention the handle may be used indefinitely with new blades thus effecting; a great saving); in expense.

The regular scalpel shape of the device is retained and it is thus possible to have a new knife for every capital or qn'onainenl operation.

in llnpOlhitllll advm'itagre of my lllVMllltHl ,5 ol hludes only be dotacl'iably and intcrchnngreubly secured in the handle whereby the iiccessibv o t a large investin'ient oli money in the sortinent 0t old style knives how. i blades and handles integral is din nm'od.

l fhile l have shown and described 1: pm ticnlar construction and arrnnoeinent of parts it is to he luiderstoinl that it rumble of sonic modification without deps from the scope or spirit thercol as deli: in the claii s, as for instance the binder l the end oi plate may be nrovhled o sockets instead of pectoralions and where perforations are rote ed to, either the specification or claims, it is under loud to cover sockets or pei'torutirnis or both.

' What l claim as new and desire to ten-ore by Letters Patent is: k

till

Ill]

1. In a scalpel, an interchangeable handle adapted to hold blades of various sizes and styles, each of said blades having a hole and perforations through its shank, said handle comprising plates one of which has upon its inner side transversely disposed curved grooves and a key hole having an enlarged end between said grooves and the other of which plates has a key pivot adapted to enter said key hole and having a head adapted to engage the outer surface of the handle adj acent the narrow portion of said key hole, studs on said other plate adapted to extend through the perforations in said blade and traverse said grooves, respectively, and transversegrooves in the outer sides of said plates to form non-slipping holding surfaces and to permit said plates to spring or yield apart under pressure when assembling or disassembling the parts.

2. In a scalpel, an interchangeable handle adapted to hold blades of various sizes and styles, each of said blades having a hole and perforations through its shank, said handle comprising plates one of which has upon its inner side transversely disposed curved grooves and a key hole having an enlarged end between said grooves and the other of which plates has a key pivot adapted to enter said key hole and having a head. adapted to engage the outer surface of the handle adjacent the narrow portion of said key hole, and studs on said other plate adapted to extend through the perforations in said blade and traverse said grooves, respectively, while entering them and then riding or moving up out of said grooves into engagement with the inner surface of the opposite plate to hold the parts firmly together transversely.

3. In a scalpel, a blade having a hole and a perforation on each side thereof, a pair of detachable spring metal plates forming a handle for said blade, one of said plates having registering cooperating studs adapted to engage said perforations and one of said plates having a slotted key hole with an enlarged end and the other of said plates having registering cooperating studs adapted to engage said perforations and having a headed key pivot adapted to enter the hole in said blade and the enlarged end of said key hole and to permitthe head of said key pivot to be moved over the narrow ends of said key opening whereby when said plates are moved into parallel opposing position said blade will be firmly clamped between said plates, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

4. In a scalpel, a blade having a key opening and a perforation on each side thereof, a pair of plates one of which is provided with an enlongated key hole having an enlarged portion and the other of which is provided with studs adapted to enter said perforations and with a key pivot having a head adapted to enter said enlarged end to permit said key pivot to be slid into engagement with the narrow end of said key hole whereby said plates firmly clamp said blade therebetween when moved to parallel position with each other and detachable means for holding the butt ends of said plates in parallelism.

MAX SCHMIDT. 

